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Will handwriting be obsolete?

Last week a parent in our homeschool co-op informed me that, in keyboarding, only one space is used after a period at the end of a sentence. This new tidbit of information rocked my world because, thanks to my very capable 6th and 7th grade typing teachers, sealed in my head (and right thumb) is the two-space rule.

While some call the difference a “style choice,” Grammar Girl says “using one space is by far the most widely accepted and logical style,” citing The Chicago Manual of Style, the AP Stylebook and the Modern Language Association. Visually, the move from the monospace font of typewriters to the proportional fonts of computers supposedly eased the readability of the font-spacing enough to render the extra space after a period unnecessary.

Honestly I am a bit torn. The side of me that desperately wants to align with the rules is determined to break my two-space habit and form a new one. Unfortunately, I have yet to convince my right thumb, which has a solid two-space relationship with the spacebar, when it comes to wrapping up sentences and starting new ones. If I was not teaching a writing class in our local co-op I might not pay any attention to this detail, but as a teacher I feel a great responsibility to my students to align with universal standards.

I realize there have been significant advances in technology since my 6th grade year; twenty-seven years of advancement in fact. If the new standards highly recommend one space over two, I will adjust and take responsibility to teach my students the same. After all, after reading the explanation, it makes sense.

However, when I came across an online article weighing in on whether or not handwriting is even necessary in this day and time I drew my proverbial line in the sand.

I am not a technophobe. I work online building websites and writing blog posts. I have an iPad, iPhone, and text more than I call. I believe very strongly that technology must be integrated with learning in today’s schools, homes and workplaces. That said, I am absolutely hard core about teaching handwriting, cursive even, to children.

The article above states that “Keyboarding is taught in elementary schools, but students are often learning the right keys to press to form words even before then. Many children are exposed to computers, laptops, iPads and texting on cellphones even before schools begin teaching these students.” With that in mind, it seems to make even more sense for teachers (whether they are parents, family members, public or private school teachers) to emphasize the core foundations of handwriting when children begin their formal learning years.

In the same article, Danielle Bolduc, the Oyster River director of instruction, pointed to research supporting the link between handwriting as a building block for both memory and language. Her belief is that “Both legible handwriting and efficient keyboarding are necessities in the 21st century.” Bolduc supports developing both skill sets early on in a child’s education to promote very specific, but very different, brain development.

While I understand that some believe handwriting should take a backseat to the “biggies” like Math and Science, I believe we will shortchange our children if we do not teach them to read and write in cursive. Am I alone in this belief? Is the written word steadfastly becoming obsolete? Dr. Karin Harman James, lead researcher and assistant professor in the department of psychological and brain science at Indiana University says, “…at this stage the question is not if handwriting will die out. The question is when.”

Do you foresee a future where letters will no longer be written, cards no longer sent, checks no longer signed by hand and/or signatures on legal documents are no longer required?

Cursive is not just an art form for those of us old fogies who want to keep a bit of the “written” in the written word. We will lose something precious if it drops from education because, according to Dr. James, handwriting changes the way children learn and helps their brains to develop more productively.

Technology is advancing fast, but unlike the outgrown “two-spaces after a period” rule, the long-term developmental effect of cutting out a significant foundation of learning is more than a visual preference.

As parent educators our opinion counts. We have a say in our children’s education. Do you think handwriting is obsolete or unnecessary?

Heather Sanders

Hi. I’m Heather, a freelance writer living in Huntsville, a smallish town on the tail-end of the East Texas Pineywoods.
Twenty years ago, I married Jeff, the love of my life, and shortly after, we chose to “go forth and multiply.” We have three kids: Emelie, Meredith and Kenny. We homeschool. It's what we do, and it works for us.
Tired of feeling overwhelmed, we recently "faithsized" our family into a 960 square foot lake cabin in need of renovation. I write at HeatherSanders.com about faith and simplifying your desires so you can be content right here and right now

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Comments

Christine

Also, if kids don’t learn at least the basics of cursive, it means that they won’t be able to read cursive very well. Do we really want to cut new generations off from anything from the past that was handwritten? This might be a bigger deal to me because I’m a historian, but I think that retaining at least basic knowledge of handwriting is important.

http://verabear.net Vera

With all this technology, handwriting – beautiful handwriting – becomes even more cool.

Lisa

The schools where I live have not taught cursive for over ten years. They teach them to sign their names in cursive, but that’s it. Who’s going to show them how to sign their new last names when they get married?

Lee-Ellen

Public schools in our county are not teaching cursive writing anymore. My children attend a private Christian school which takes handwriting very seriously. My 3rd and 5th graders are expected to do all their work in cursive.

Lisa

I’m replying to myself. I guess their husbands will have to show them what they learned way back in third grade.

http://itwasbroughtonbylove.blogspot.com Southern Gal

I agree, Heather. I read where some schools will only be teaching the students to sign their names in cursive. I remember being taken aback several years ago when ABeka decided to skip a step and start with cursive. Looks like they knew what was coming. Right now, I teach my youngest son with Getty-Dubay Italics. And I know I will be volunteering to teach my grandchildren handwriting if it comes to that!

Handwritten notes, cards, and letters from my grandparents are some of my most priced possessions. I can’t imagine a world without that type of communication. (With that said, I am reminded to write more notes and letters to my children and granddaughter.)

And the double space thing? Try as I may, my right thumb won’t listen either.

Aileen

I don’t have children but believe very strongly that people need to learn how to write in cursive. I personally don’t write in cursive any more (far to many years of working in hotels where it was best to print notes to your colleagues) but if need be I can still write in it and I can read it! I can’t believe that schools do not take this seriously!

PS I am sorry having been a touch typist for about 15 years now, I will always put 2 spaces after a full stop. My brain wouldnt let me do it any other way and I have to admit even when typing a text message I always put 2 spaces after the full stop. It is the RIGHT thing to do!!

Stephanie

People also don’t talk about the effect that handwriting has on kids’ fine motor skills and their brain development. Cursive–heck, any handwriting–is essential for them to develop their finest motor skills (if kids don’t learn the minutiae of writing, things like brain surgery or mechanics are going to be that much more difficult). The kids I know who can write in cursive take pride in their beautiful letters!

Marcela from Sugar Land

I absolutely agree with you. My two boys go to public school during the day and then they have to endure “Mama homework” which includes cursive practice, reading the classics also known as banned books (Tom Sawyer is a no, no because it teaches slavery, Moby Dick is also no, no, because it shows animal cruelty, blah, blah, blah) and they have to work hard on math and history.

Hillarie

I’m on the fence, here. I want to share an article from 2009 about an alternative to print and cursive: italic. I think it may be a good compromise and promote better penmanship.

Unfortunately, the illustrations of the style that accompanied the article that I remember are no longer there. I think the description of how to write in italic may give you some idea of what it entails.

Cathey

I agree wholeheartedly that they need to KEEP cursive writing in the curriculum. The fine motor skills and the brain processes developed in the process are invaluable in a child’s learning.

http://www.paintalifestyle.com Barb

My 15 year old niece occasionally types out my blogs and I have to print them because to my surprise she can not read cursive! She wants to be an author! I will be teaching my girls cursive in the home.
And that is that!
Barb

Shanna

I recently heard the Oxford comma is being debated. What’s this world coming to?

Jennifer Mayfield

I’ve been teaching my daughter in second grade to write in cursive. Her teacher at school was like oh that’s nice but she will not need it. I was like she will need it. I did this after i learned my 15 year old could not sign his name on his learners license. 😦

Allison

I am a preschool teacher and I don’t care how far we come in technology, students still need to learn how to write in print and cursive. There will be times when it is needed.
About the 2 spaces after a period, I had to look it up. I am currently in grad school and we use APA style when writing papers and it states to use 2 spaces after a period. That’s how I was taught and I don’t think I could change that habit now.

http://livingwithcheesecurls.blogspot.com/ tinaehb3

My children still learn cursive at school. They think it’s “cool” to write like that.

lisa in alabama

Add the issue of people with dyslexia or other learning disabilities (an estimated 15-20% of the population – children and adults). I work at a school for dyslexic students and they start learning cursive as soon as we get them – even in K or 1st grade. It totally eliminates the confusion over where to start writing a letter, since they all start on the baseline, and Stephanie’s comment above about fine motor skills is exactly right. I am an administrator. I work on a computer all day long. I write all day long as well. Sure, I print when leaving someone a note I want to be absolutely clear. But cursive is so much more efficient than printing when taking notes on a phone call, meeting, my own to-do lists, etc.

There’s a greater principle at work here too. Technology is a great time-saver and productivity tool, but there’s a problem with allowing it to make our own basic skills (as a culture and as individuals) obsolete. Calculators are handy, but if we can’t do math on the spot in a grocery store (which is the better deal when one price is in lbs and one is in oz?) or a job interview (salary negotiations?) without a calculator, we’re in trouble. Digital contact lists and news media are great – until tornadoes wipe out your cell phone towers and electricity for 5 days like they did here last April. At some point we have to realize that technology should only replace basic skills as a shortcut once those skills have actually been solidly learned, and that our backup systems should be destroyed or made obsolete only when the technology is 100% dependable and accessible 100% of the time.

On a related note, I’ve heard people expressing concern already about the digitizing of books and media. That’s not bad in and of itself, especially if it makes it more accessible, but if it eventually lends itself to controlled access and censorship, that’s a whole other story.

Jeanette

If anything, students need to at the very least be able to READ cursive handwriting! Otherwise, how will they be able to read very old documents, etc. (I homeschool and my kids do learn cursive, thankyouverymuch.)

Laurie O. - WI

I agree with many who have commented that cursive will be needed. Technology is great – but there will always be the need to put hand to paper and sign some type of document in cursive.

Alissa

My husband and I just refinanced our home, and while we did still have to go into the bank to sign papers the last day, we did all the initial approval and signature stuff electronically on the computer. We just picked “our signature” and then clicked everywhere we were supposed to sign. I have a feeling signing documents is on it’s way out.

Rachael B

I was born in 1990 – old enough to have been taught cursive but young enough to have grown up with technology. I feel very strongly that printing and writing skills are very important – I spent hours copying notes in high school classes, does this no longer occur? I re-write notes before exams to help remember details, and university students still have to write exams by hand. Some of my fellow students can barely make it through an hour long midterm without a hand cramp, how will they fare during a three hour final?
Not only that, but writing is a part of culture as much as language itself. Historians and archaeologists use handwriting to date ancient sources. Handwriting is definitely something I don’t want to see die out. I agree with Southern Gal – nothing will ever replace handwritten notes in lunchboxes, or greeting cards and letters for all occasions. It’s so much more personal than a Facebook “Happy birthday” wall post or email greeting card.

http://thefairlyoddmother.com Fairly Odd Mother

I love me some technology, but I find this whole trend to going All Tech, All The Time sad and kind of scary. No one needs to read a map, write a legible note, or read a hardcover book anymore b/c we have devices!

My kids are learning printing and then cursive, even if some schools don’t think it’s necessary. It’s good for their fine motor skills and because I still believe in the beauty of handwriting. Nothing will ever beat my kids’ handwritten notes. I can’t imagine saving a text with the same fondness.

http://www.andyloveslisa.com Lisa

My stepson is nearly 21 and he did not learn cursive in school. When I wanted to keep something secret from him I would write the note in cursive as he could not read it. I believe it is an absolute shame that this is being dropped from the classroom and kids are being denied this skill. Along the same note, due to the increased use of computers, the kids lose their ability to spell and use grammar properly because they learn to depend on spellcheck and ‘grammar check’.

As for the double space after the period? I’m keeping it. For the reason of habit and in most technology now if you put in the double space the period shows up automatically. So I’m old fashioned and technically savvy. And i like it! Period.

http://daddyridesbikes.blogspot.com Matt

I’m sad to see cursive fading out… but think it’s bound to happen.

I don’t think people will need it for much. Fairly soon everyone will have some type of laptop or other device with them in classrooms everywhere… and then the note-taking speed advantage cursive gives over print will be gone. Learning a signature isn’t hard – most signatures are illegible anyway.

In terms of historical reference – some people will need to know cursive for their jobs and they will learn it, just like some people need to know Latin or other “dead” languages now. The general public doesn’t care enough about history to teach cursive for that purpose.

I think I just made myself depressed…

Stephanie

I was taught cursive for about 2 weeks back in third grade. We were told we would have to use it exclusively when we got to the next grade. Well 4th grade came and we never used cursive again. I can barely write in cursive, I can also barely read in cursive. The only issue with not being able to write in cursive is that there is a statement in the SATs that needs to be handwritten in cursive on the back stating that it’s my work and my work alone. (This may have changed) But not being able to quickly read cursive is a total pain. I am 30 and I need help figuring out what some words are in letters written to me by my grandmother. I wish I had been taught cursive more extensively. I have tried to retroactively teach myself it, but the mind imprinting is so much harder now than it would have been at 9.